Decorating stamp



March 17, 1953 R. J. RILEY 2,631,536

' DECORATING STAMP Filed Dec. 13, 1948 INVENTOR. o RAY d. RILEY PatentedMar. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE DECORATING STAMP PennsylvaniaApplication December 13, 1948, Serial No. 64,973

(Cl. lOl- 376) 2 Claims.

operated machine of this character is disclosed in my co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 8,914, filed February 17, 1948, to whichattention is invited. In this machine the ware is carried .upon arotatable chuck, and the stamp which is curved or segmental, receives afilm of ink, engages and rotates the ware frictionally and 'imprints thedesign upon the ware surface.

Usually the ware includes a handle, and the decorative indicia isapplied, starting at a point jclosely adjacent the handle, extendingaround the ware, and terminating uniformly at a point closely adjacentthe opposite side of the handle.

Thus a continuous band of decoration is applied around the ware exceptfor that portion which is occupied by the handle.

In order to produce clear sharp impressions it is evident that theremust be no relative motion or skidding between the stamp and the waresurface. For this purposethe printing face of the stamp is backed by aresilient foundation which makes the stamp deformable to the contour ofthe ware. The stamp presses against -the ware with considerable pressureso that it conforms to the contour of the ware and rmly embraces it infrictional engagement. If the ware pieces were regular or cylindrical inprofile, the application of uniform sharp decorations would becomparatively simple, but most of the ware so decorated is irregular inprofile. Tea vcups for example, usually have a small base and areoutwardly toward the lip. In most cases the decorative indicia isapplied to this flared portion.

The principal object of the invention has been to provide a stamp soconstructed `that the dis- V tortion of its printing face is controlledin a manner to provide a substantially uniform pressure against anirregular ware profile to produce a clear, sharp decorative band aroundthe ware. This` has'been achieved by building up a series of laminationsof graduated resiliency so arl ranged that the softer or more resilientsections -occupy the area where the greatest defiection takesrplace,suchv as in the flared portionof ware pieces. By virtue of its softness,that portion of the stamp backing which is subjected to the greatestdeformation, develops substantially no greater pressure than the portionwhich is subjected to the least deformation.

A further object has been to provide a resilient stamp backing in whichlateral expansion or bulging is controlled to prevent loss of forcesidewise, thereby to direct the full compressive force to the waresurface and also to protect the laminations from deterioration due tocontact with cleaning fluid, which is employedat intervals to clean thestamp surface. Lateral deflection is regulated by a strip or laminationof pliable Vmaterial having limited elasticity, residing intermediate ofthe deformable layers to tie them together laterally. A protectivelamination is located immediately beneath theV stamp strip to absorbcleaning fluid and protect from deterioration the deformable layers.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a generally fragmentary view illustrating the improvedprinting shoe mounted upon a rotating drum in operation upon a warepiece carried byV a rotatable chuck.

Figure 2 is a face view of the printing stamp taken along line 2 2,Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3 3, Figure 1,illustrating on an enlarged scale, the laminated construction of theshoe.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4 4 illustrating thedistortion of the laminated stamp foundation, conforming to theirregular profile of the ware.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view illustrating the distortion of the shoeat the large diameter of the ware, as viewed along line 5 5, Figure 4.

Generally described with reference to Figure 1, the stamp unit indicatedgenerally at lo, is secured by means of screws II to a printing wheel ordrum I2. The ware piece I3, in the present instance, constitutes a teacup having a small base and flaring outwardly toward the lip. The cupincludes a handle I4 and the printing shoe I0 corresponds to thedeveloped length of the circumference of the cup. In operation, theprinting machine is arranged to position theV handle I4 toward the drumI2 so that the leading edge I5 of the curved or arcuate stamp contactsthe cup Vclosely adjacent the handle. The cup is mounted upon a rotarychuck (not shown) and'is frictionally engaged and rotated in unison withthe stamp as the stamp passes through its 'orbit in contact withthecup.` A'Ihetrailing edge IS of the stamp ends the decoration closelyadjacent the opposite side of the handle I4 at completion of theoperation. As illustrated in Figure 4, the laminated foundation of thestamp, indicated at I7, permits the printing surface to deflect andclosely embrace the curved profile of the ware piece.

Described in greater detail, the printing shoe comprises a rigid basemember 20 of arcuate or curved shape as viewed from the side, conformingto the radius f the printing drum I2. Base member 20 preferably isformed of metal such as aluminum and includes tapped holes to receivethe mounting screws Il which extend through the rim 2l of the printingdrum as shown in Figure l. Upon base member 2li is adhesively securedstrips of deformable material such as foam rubber (Figures 3 and 4).These strips are located side by side, preferably cemented together,strip 22 being formed of material which is softer than the strip 23 topermit a substantial degree of compression to compensate for the largediameter or rim portion of the Ware. The adjacent strip 23 constitutes asection of greater firmness so as to provide approximately the samepressure as strip 22 although it is compressed a lesser degree due tothe decreased diameter of the ware in the area of this strip. It hasbeen found in practice that foam rubber or synthetic rubber, developinga force of approximately sixty pounds per inch under compression, and astrip 23 developing approximately twice this force, constitutes asatisfactory combination under the service conditions illustrated. Itwill be noted however that the characteristics of the materials may beVaried according to the ware contour and particular kind of printingoperation involved.

The next layer of the foundation constitutes a strip 24 of rubber orother pliable material having rubber-like characteristics. This strip isad'- hesively secured to the strips 22 and 23 and is readily deformableas shown in Figure s, but offers. controlled resistance to stretchinglaterally. Strip 24 therefore regulates lateral expansion, preventsundue loss of force and serves to hold the foundation in shape underdeformation. In other words, due to displacement the relatively softmaterials making up the stamp foundation would bulge outwardly undercompression withY a resulting loss of compression, but by inserting thestrip 24 this. tendency is controlled, thereby permitting more accurateregulation of the pressure developed in compressing the stamp againstthe ware.

The next lamination 25 is in the form of a full width stripapproximately the same thickness as strips 22 and 23 and havingapproximately the same compressive force as strip 22. This stripprovides an equalizer to distribute more uniformly the differentialpressures developed by the strips 22 and 23. Since strip 23 developsapproximately twice the pressure of strip 22, and since the Ware prolecurves gradually to a smaller diameter, lamination 25 absorbs andcompensates for the pressure differential to cause substantially uniformstamp pressure.

Upon strip 25 is placed a strip or lamination 26 formed of a materialwhich is resistant to cleaning uids. Such iiuids are applied atintervals to the stamp face to remove gummy deposits which tend toreduce clarity and detract from the quality of the work. Strip `26preferably is of a spongy material toabsorb these fluids and thisprevents them from reaching and damaging the other non-resistantlaminations. An appropriate adhesive such as cement is used to securestrip 26 to strip 25.

Upon the surface of strip 25 is applied the de# corating stamp strip 21which is made preferably from rubber or syntheticv rubber and carriesupon its outer facel theA embossed decorating indicia at 2t. The stampstrip 2'! is bonded to strip 26 by' Va suitable adhesive or cement inthe same man' ner as the other laminations of the shoe. Printing strip21 is thin and flexible so as to conform readily to the ware contour. Itprovides a relatively high coefiicient of friction with the ware surfaceso as to rotate the Ware without slippage or skidding, which would causesmudging of the decoration.

A side plate 30, secured to the base member 2li by screws 3| is locatedalong one or both sides of the stamp unit, as illustrated in Figures 3and 4. The side member aids in stabilizing thefoundation and maintainsi-t in alignment longitudinally and increases the firmness of strip 2.3by preventing lateral bulging of the strip under compression. An angularbracket 3 2 (Figures 1 and 2), is applied to the trailing end of thestamp foundation, being secured to base 28 by screws 33. This bracketai-ds in locating and maintaining the stamp foundation upon the basemember 29. lt is omitted from the leading end of the stamp memberbecause it is desirabley to provide a resilient surface to avoidbreakageof the handle.

While illustrated and described with reference to a tea cup, the presentstructure may be utilized for many other ware shapes since the laminatedfoundation provides a wide latitudeA of yieldability. Ware varying fromcylindrical to curved and angular profiles substantially different fromthe profile illustrated, may be decorated successfully. It will be.noted that theV foundation is wider at the bottom than at the stampingface. This permits very substantial distortion which is necessary toaccommodate flared profiles of the type illustrated. It has been foundthat the resiliency of the stamp foundation. permits it to be appliedalso to Ware pieces having somewhat eccentric contours since theresiliency of the unit permits it to compensate for Variations inconcentricity without blurring or smudging.

It will be apparent that the compressibility of the graduated layers maybe. variedfto suit various other classes of Work by utilizing the propermaterials and by properly combining them to out other classes of Work byutilizing theA proper produce the desired result. It has beenY discovered however that remarkably clear and sharp designs, devoid of smudgesor blurs, are obtained by using the arrangement disclosed.

In operation, as disclosed in the previously noted co-pendingapplication, the drum I2 is pro-` vided with `two stamping unitsdiametrically QP' posed `to each other. The apparatus includes inkingmechanism which applies to the printingV face 2i', a nlm of ink which inthe next half revolution of the drum is Vapplied to the ware. Thus,while one of the' stamps is performingfthe printing operation the otheris beink inked. Aspreviously noted the ware is carried upon a rotatablechuck (not shown) which is urged under. predetermined spring pressuretoward theA printing stamp so that the degree of pressure engagement ofthe stamp against the ware may be controlled. As utilized in conjunctionwithV this machine the operation is semi-automatic, the cups beingplaced upon thefchuck manually and removed manually after printing. Itwillbe apparent also that the improved structure may be applied to handoperated mechanisms as well as to other automatic power operatedmachines.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A compressible printing stamp adapted to be tracked in pressureengagement upon the outer surface of a rotatably mounted cylindricalware piece having a flared profile to apply decorations thereon, saidprinting stamp comprising; -an elongated arcuate mounting member formedof rigid material, a pair of relatively thick elongated base stripssecured together side by side and mounted upon the mounting member, saidbase strips being formed of resilient sponge material, each strip havinga different degree of resiliency, the softer of said strips beingadapted to be compressed to a greater extent than the rmer strip whenthe printing stamp is tracked in pressure engagement upon the ware piecewhereby said strips provide substantially uniform pressure undernon-uniform compression to compensate for the flared prole of the warepiece, a control strip coextensive with and secured upon the outersurface of the base strips, the control strip being formed of flexiblematerial having resistance to stretching laterally, a cushion stripsecured upon the outer surface of the control strip, the cushion stripbeing formed of resilient sponge material and having substantially thesame thickness as said base strips, a decorating strip formed ofrelatively thin flexible material, and means for mounting saiddecorating strip upon said cushion strip, said control strip beingadapted to control lateral bulging of said base and cushion strips whenthe decorating strip is tracked in pressure engagement upon the surfaceof the ware piece.

2. A compressible printing stamp adapted to be tracked in pressureengagement upon the outer surface of a rotatably mounted ware piece toapply decorations thereon, said printing stamp comprising: an elongatedarcuate mounting member formed of rigid material, a pair of relativelythick elongated base strips secured together side by side and mountedupon the mounting member, said base strips being formed of resilientsponge rubber, each strip having a different degree of resiliency, thesofter of said strips being adapted to be compressed to a greater extentthan the firmer strip when the printing stamp is tracked in pressureengagement upon the ware piece whereby said strips provide substantiallyuniform pressure under non-uniform compression to compensate for theflared profile of the Ware piece, a control strip coextensive with andsecured upon the outer surface of the base strips, the control stripbeing formed of exible rubber having resistance to stretching laterally,a cushion strip secured upon the outer surface of the control strip, thecushion strip being formed of sponge rubber having substantially thesame degree of softness as the softery f said base strips and havingsubstantially the me thickness as the base strips, said controlfstiipbeing adapted to control lateral bulging ofsaid base and cushionstrips under compressionan absorbent strip formed of resilient spongematerial mounted upon the outer surface of said cushion' strip, and adecorating strip formed of flexible rubber mounted upon the outersurface of the absorbent strip, the decorating strip being narrower inWidth than the combined base strips, the sides of the control, cushion,and absorbent strips being tapered inwardly toward the 4edges of thedecorating strip to provide increased compressibility.

RAY J. RILEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

